Children of the Shadows Challenges
by Frosted Blaze
Summary: A collection of challenges for Children of the Shadows, a Warriors Forum. Feel free to read and review, any advice is appreciated!
1. Challenge 1 - Drabble

Tearing through the clouds, the sunlight shone down upon the lake and reflected into the face of a single cat, who slumped against a tree. He sighed softly, a moment of hesitation bestowed upon the waves of thoughts thick with sadness as restless as the lake itself. Wind rustled the leaves above causing a pair to fall. They spiralled around each other, tied by an invisible bond, before one was torn away from the other. A single tear ran down the tom's face and plummeted to the heap of earth that lay below. Here she lay. Here, he would stay.


	2. Challenge 2 - See You Again

His golden eyes drifted off into the darkness. Two golden orbs in his world of darkness. He felt a tail on his shoulder and saw Thistletail. The tom looked back at him and with a sigh managed to heave the silence from the atmosphere. "Redfur, buddy, I-I realise how terrible you must be feeling right now and I know I can't change that but just promise me that if you need something - anything – you can talk to me." A single nod from Redfur signalled acknowledgement to Thistletail and the so the brown tabby wandered away into the dark.

Redfur remained implanted into the ground, occasionally he gave out a sniffle but had somehow managed to keep himself together. His feelings, however, were not as in place as his feelings. How could they take her from him. Petalfall, the love of his life, the star to his sky, the cat he trusted the most.

Gone.

Redfur had already lost his mother, she had died in a devastating fire and his father who he had never known. Thistletail had changed clans, moons ago. He had been drawn by the pursuit of love. Redfur had never believed he could do such a thing, neither had he believed in such a petty miracle such as love. That was until he met Rosepetal. When they first met, she had been a rogue. Redfur still remembered the way the stood unfazed by the rain and lightning that raged on around her, the way she looked danger in its twisted eyes and smirked. He had never felt that way before about anyone.

Gone.

Here he was again. Another friend gone. Thistletail. How he was going to miss him could not be contained by mere words. The death of Thistletail meant another whole had been created in his heart. This time it was different. Thistletail had a legacy. One Redfur would protect. When Redfur saw the bundle of spiky fur that now stood beside him, he knew Thistletail would live on. He would not leave.

Redfur had sometjing to live for.


	3. Challenge 3 - First Catch

Applepaw had decided. This would be the day, the day she would catch her first piece of prey. It was her eight day as an apprentice and he sister, Hazelpaw, had already managed to catch a plump vole, yet Applepaw had not even gotten within leaping distance of any prey. None of that mattered today. Applepaw knew she would make it, she had a gut feeling after all.

Sunlight broke through the trees of the forest and, with perfect timing, Finchfeather gracefully glided out in front of Applepaw. Finchfeather was a brilliant warrior, as knowledgeable as the most experienced elder and able to outrun a rabbit. Applepaw had almost broken down in joy when the young warrior had been appointed as her mentor. "Applepaw," he smiled, teeth shining – as usual – and fur neatly groomed "We're going to try hunting again today. You are extremely close to catching your prey…just try to be more careful about what you step on." If Finchfeather's bubbly apprentice took any notice of his slight hesistation, she did a good job of hiding it and nodded furiously then shot off into the undergrowth nearby. Finchfeather chuckled at her antics. Applepaw was a diamond in the rough but at the same time completely charming and he could tell that she was doing her best. He was sure she would make her first catch today.

"Fox dung!" Applepaw screeched as she plunged nose-first into the ground after msiing yet another mouse. This was not the first time today she had messed up and she was feeling the dull ache of the voice in her head spitting insults. "Not a problem," She smiled to herself. "I still have time…" Her words faded into the wind as she noticed just how dark the sky was.

"Applepaw?" Only then did she notice her mentor calling out for her. _But I-no. I have to do this today, I have to do this now._ That was when she saw it. A flurry of brown feathers flashing in front of the moon. A gift from StarClan if Applepaw had ever seen one. Applepaw's vision closed in on the prey. It swooped down near to the ground. Her thoughts whisked away with the wind. Adrenaline pumped through her veins. She sprang forwards. Claws unsheathed. Silence.

"Applepaw?" Finchfeather's cries rang through the forest. "Where did she run off to?" Pawsteps, behind him! He whirled around faster than a dog in a fit. "Applepaw where we-huh?" He cut off when a fat robin fell at his paws then looked up with an expression of glee, surprise and pride. Applepaw could barely contain her joy.

"This is it. This is my first catch!"


	4. Challenge 4 - Letting the Hate Out

Claws and fangs alike glinted in the moonlight as a whirlwind of shrieking cats tore apart the field. If you had been in the field earlier that day, then you would have discovered a peaceful field of flowers with rabbits and mice frolicking in the morning sunlight. Now, it it was a wasteland of corpses, stained with the blood of friend and foe. In midst of screeches and wounds, a single cat stood alone. His pitch black fur was stained a dark crimson and his emerald eyes sliced through the cold air picking out a particular ginger tabby. "Goldenstar!" He roared and a forest of cats split like the Red Sea leaving a path leading straight to the said Goldenstar.

"Crowshadow." The curt she-cat mewed with a glare as sharp and cold as her personality. "I was hoping we would have cleared out all of the scum by know. We have the home-field advantage after all." The WndClan leader beckoned to the moor.

"None of that will matter when _I_ fight." He seethed back.

"Typical ShadowClan rabbit-brain." The she-cat spat back. "Just like your…late leader." She flicked her tail and Crowshadow gased in urprise at the grey body of his leader. He leapt past Goldenstar and skidded to Froststar's side. Froststar wheezed in protest, the last of the light in his eyes fading.

"Crowshadow, my deputy, my nephew. It is up to you to lead the Clan now…" Froststar whispered, his eyes shining with pride before closing forever.

The only thing Crowhadow felt after that was rage. Goldenstar gave that pathetic little smile of pity then leapt at him. Crowshadow was ready. He had been ready since the moment that he had seen Goldenstar step onto that branch at the fourtrees and glare down at him. "I have 4 lives… there is no way you could possibly beat me!" Goldenstar laughed, a horrible cracking sound that tore apart his train of thought. As she came down on him, Crowshadow flicked his paw up in an uppercut then rolled out of the way, hissing when a claw sliced off the top of his ear. Goldenstar stumbled as she landed, shocked and Crowshadow dived, claws outstretched, and slashed into the side of her throat. She gurgled on her blood and fell to the ground limp. Seconds later, she was up a snarl painted across her face. Whilst Goldenstar was a genius tactician, she was not the fighter Crowshadow was. A couple slashes later, Goldenstar was down again and croshadow stood over her with an eerie grin. It was then that the tables turned. A blow to his flank put Crowshdow off balance and he was pinned by two, large, angry tabbies with pelts the colour of mud. Goldenstar got up laughing hysterically. "This is it for you, Crowhsadow." With that she slit his throat.

"Well good job boys." Goldenstar smirked, "I finally got that tic out of my fur, now for domination ov-" She was cut of by a claws slashing at her throat. As she fell and the viscous blood pumped from the second wound, she twisted just in time to watch the mud-brothers fall in sync. Stood above her was Crowstar, who had rained the justice of StarClan upon her. As she gasped, trying to form the words to curse him, Crowstar smiled sweetly.

"Froststar says hi."


End file.
